The Maungatapu Murders

This monument was erected by public subscription in memory of five late residents of the province of Marlborough who are interred here. They were waylaid, robbed and barbarously murdered by a gang of four bushrangers, on the Maungatapu Mountain in this province, June 12th and 13th 1866.

Our story starts some years previously, on the banks of the Wakamarina River. A woman named Elizabeth Pope was washing clothes in the river when she noticed some flecks in the laundry. She had discovered gold…

Richard Burgess Convicted of burglary in London. Sentenced to 10 years in Australian Penal Gangs Convicted of robbery in Otago Goldfields. Sentenced to 3 years gaol. Thomas Kelly Convicted of robbery in Otago Goldfields. Sentenced to 3 years gaol. Joseph Sullivan Sentenced to Australian Penal gangs. Phillip Levy Past unknown.

On the 12th June 1866, the four men of the Burgess Gang lay in ambush behind Murders Rock. They had already killed a man, James Battle, for fear he would identify them later. They throttled Battle, buried him in a shallow grave and stole £3 from him. Shortly thereafter, the gang killed four men carrying money and gold: Felix Mathieu, James Dudley, John Kempthorne and James de Pontius. They were killed one by one; Dudley was strangled, Kempthorne and de Pontius were shot; Mathieu was shot and stabbed. The gang hid the bodies, though not burying de Pontius, in order that he could be accused of the murders of the others.

However, the victims were well known in the area and were soon missed However, the victims were well known in the area and were soon missed. Search parties were formed and soon down the hillside trudged a sad column of volunteers bearing the bodies of the victims in canvas bags. The gang had been arrested, however, it was only when Sullivan turned Queen’s evidence that any headway was made in the investigation. The remaining members of the gang were sentenced to the death penalty. On the morning of 5th October 1866, they were led out to the gallows. Burgess kissed the noose and Levy was calm, but Kelly had to be carried up. The sentence was carried out, but Kelly’s neck was not broken and the executioner had to swing on his legs until his struggles ceased.